Kentuckians who cheered passage of the tobacco buyout owe it all to a quiet policy wonk from Bakersfield California. As Republican Chairman of the House Ways And Means Committee, Rep. Bill Thomas used his favorite strategy of working outside of the limelight to draft important legislation. He combined it with unrelated initiatives to cobble together sufficient support.
The bad news for liberal interest groups is that he is working on Social Security reform now.
Expect to hear a lot more about this. And remember that Ted Kennedy railed against the tobacco buyout.
Don't underestimate Bill Thomas.